Feedback: Local Moms Can Be Part Of Worldwide 'Big Latch On'

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The Big Latch On will happen Saturday morning under Thompson Park's large pavilion because they're expecting as many as 50 breastfeeding women for the event.

"We have to have an event like this for the public - not necessarily for the breastfeeding women - but for the public that we do support our mothers breastfeeding and that it is natural and that I think our culture is just changing," said Ruth Martinez, event organizer and a nursing mom.

"We're trying to get at least 14,500 people or more to latch-on this year," said Lydia Kelley, a nursing mom.

The global latch-on begins at 10:30 Saturday morning and every baby who latches on - breastfeeds - for that one minute is counted toward breaking the record.

Studies show that babies and their mothers are healthier when they are breastfed.

"It reduces the chances of mothers getting breast cancer and cervical cancer. For babies, it also helps reduce childhood obesity and diabetes," said Martinez.

But, it takes getting used to and the support of other breastfeeding women, as well as our culture.

For Lydia's first daughter, she pumped her breast milk at home and bottle-fed the baby.

With her second daughter, other mothers gave her the confidence to breastfeed.

"And now that I have Trinity, it's easy to just go out and feed her whenever she needs to be fed, because I look at it as - it's not a sexual thing - it's feeding your baby when they're hungry," she said.

There will be a lot of hungry babies Saturday when local moms breastfeed them to beat the world record.

It's going to be more than just moms and babies latching on, there's going to be a big art project as well.